Date
3-10-2026
Department
Helms School of Government
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)
Chair
Matthew Lamade
Keywords
9/11, Post-9/11 Context, Fear of Terrorism, Media and News, Cross-Sectional, Zoho Survey, Stratified Random Sampling, Integrated Fear Theory of Terrorism
Disciplines
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Robinson, Malachi-Chaim A., "Navigating Fear: Exploring the Influence of Media and Other Factors on Perceptions of Terrorism" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8015.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8015
Abstract
This dissertation examined factors influencing the fear of terrorism among U.S. adults in the post-9/11 context, where frequent media coverage impacts public perception. The central research question asked: To what extent is the fear of terrorism influenced by news consumption, ethnic intolerance, religion, gender, education, race and ethnicity, political affiliation, age, previous victimization of violent crime, and trust in government institutions? A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2025 using Zoho Survey, collecting 408 responses through stratified random sampling to approximate national representation. Chi-square tests revealed significant bivariate relationships for nine predictors: perceived credibility of terrorism-related news, perceived risk of immigrant crime, restrictive anti-Muslim policy, explicit Islamophobic attitudes, implicit Islamophobic attitudes, age, education, religion, and faith (trust) in the U.S. Congress. Binary logistic regression identified six significant predictors when controlling for all variables: careful attention to terrorism-related stories, implicit Islamophobic attitudes, age, education, religion, and previous victimization of violent crimes. Empirically and theoretically, these findings strengthened evidence that media, social-symbolic, social learning, terror management, demographic, and individual factors shape the fear of terrorism. Thus, the Integrated Fear Theory of Terrorism was proposed, emphasizing the interaction of these factors. Policy and practical implications include enhancing transparent terrorism risk communication, responsible framing, and timely information to mitigate fear. Future research should explore whether this study’s findings hold across new contexts like social media, media bias, and domestic terrorism to deepen understanding, guide effective policy, and mitigate fear.
